Sheffield Wednesday: Long-serving Liam Palmer targets more Owls goals

Dom Howson

But long-serving Owls full-back Liam Palmer would dearly love to start to chipping in with more goals.

Jack Hunt

You have to go back to September 2011 for the last time Palmer, who joined Wednesday aged seven, found the back of the net. His strike in a 3-1 Hillsborough triumph over MK Dons remains the only goal of Palmer’s career. He has made 152 appearances for the Owls.

The Worksop-born player grew up playing in central midfield but has spent the last few years plying his trade at right-back.

Palmer is encouraged to get forward at every available opportunity by boss Carlos Carvalhal and accepts he has wasted a number of opportunities to get on the scoresheet this term.

“Everyone keeps saying to me I’m getting closer but I’d like to contribute with a few more goals,” he told The Star.

“I’ve been in a few positions where I might have done better in front of goal. The Huddersfield and Newcastle games spring to mind.

“It is something I am trying to work on but, first and foremost, I’m a defender and stopping the goals going in the net is just as satisfying as scoring down the other end.”

The 25-year-old, a first-half replacement for the injured Jack Hunt in Friday’s loss at Brighton and Hove Albion, says he is happy with his own form. Palmer has featured 19 times during the 2016/17 campaign - the same amount of matches as he managed in the whole of last season.

“I think my performances have been pretty similar to be honest,” said Palmer.

Wednesday have tied down a big proportion of their first-team squad, including Palmer, to long-term contracts. Influential duo Sam Hutchinson and Fernando Forestieri extended their Owls stays earlier this month.

Palmer, contracted to the Championship club until 2019, said: “I look at the business we have done and we’ve got a lot of players signed for a number of years which is instrumental in where the club wants to go. We have got a solid base now and that’s what any manager and club would want.”

Meanwhile, the Owls’ FA Youth Cup fifth round tie at Chelsea has been rearranged for Wednesday, February 1, kick-off 7:05pm.